The Heart Rate
by RuffyAndCandy2
Summary: A deadly, yet unknown phenomenon is presenting itself, and it has killed many, many people. Agent Ward, Skye, and the team is called to investigate the scene. The investigation has brought Agent Ward and Skye closer. Will their bond help them survive the countdown to their deaths? Will they make it to the end?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! This is my first story and I'm hoping you all like it. This is going to be a multi-chapter story about SkyeWard! Plus, I'm going to give a special shout out and thanks to MusicAngel98 for helping me! MusicAngel98 is one of my best friends I know! I'm going to try to update everyday, but maybe that might change. Anyways, enjoy the story! Thank you!**

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Skye's POV

Agent Grant Ward and I are training in the makeshift workout area. Ward is my Supervising Officer and I have to admit that he's doing a pretty good job as my S.O. The muscular, robot-like dude _forces_ me to train like crazy because, apparently, being a field agent requires being super-duper muscular and athletic. Ward is a field agent and he's really, _really_ buff. Did I mention that he's a black ops and espionage specialist? Which, if you know me, is super admirable in my book.

When he first tried to train me, I was stubbornly refusing to give an effort. I thought I was joining S.H.I.E.L.D., not 24-Hour Fitness. I actually said the same words to Ward once. I eventually gave in because he grew a bit more patient with me. I actually enjoy spending a little bit of time with him, without all the hustle and bustle AC, also known as Agent Coulson, provides us on a daily basis.

I have come to think of this team as family. I've never had a real family before, and they are the only one I truly love. AC is like a father figure to me. Agent May is like a very strict and quiet aunt. FitzSimmons can be described as very brainy twins. Agent Ward is different, though. I think of him as a brotherly, protective best friend. The number one thing on my things-to-be-grateful-for list is actually the team. They really are like family to me.

"Alright, Skye. 55 pull-ups," Ward commands.

"You're serious, right?" I ask. "Hanging off a 50-story building does NOT require 55 pull ups."

"60," he says.

"50," I argue back.

"65."

There's no use arguing with him. He does the pull-ups beside me, though. I can't help but feel a little bit excited. It's hard to admit, but I've fallen in love with my protective, caring, and handsome S.O. He's always there for me. Even though he has a hard time trusting people, he has opened up to me, and I'm very thankful for that.

By the time I do 20 pull-ups, Ward has done his round of 65. He walks off to the corner of the workout area and I watch him as I do the rest of my pull-ups. Oddly enough, watching him distracts me from my aching muscles that scream at me to stop doing the pull-ups. Ward drinks about half his water and takes off his sweat-soaked shirt. I nearly fall off. He turns and faces me. I fall off.

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

When Skye falls off the pull-up bars, I immediately feel bad. Maybe I've pushed her too hard. However, it is my job to keep her safe. Wait, it's not my job. It's more than that. I suddenly realize that I'm in love with my beautiful, goofy, and perfect Rookie. I DEDICATE myself to keep her alive. I'm also going to train and push her to survive in a battlefield, without me watching her back 24/7. If only she can cooperate and put an effort into her training…

The young hacker really needs a good training session. When Agent Coulson told me that she was joining S.H.I.E.L.D. as a consultant, I really didn't know what to think. He was bringing a Rising Tide member into our team. She was known for leaking secrets out to public. It turns out she's really good at hacking and she seems really dedicated to S.H.I.E.L.D. She's smart and she thinks a bit differently than us. Maybe it's because she has no formal training. Maybe it's because she _is _different, from the way she thinks for solutions to how she knows everything about computers.

"Ouch, Ward," she grumbles. "Thanks for letting me fall."

"You okay?" I ask with concern. "And you're welcome."

"Oh, yes. I'm perfectly fine because I may or may not have fell off a pull-up bar that's twice my height," she answers sarcastically.

"Um, where does it hurt?" I ask, a little bit awkwardly.

"Both wrists," she replies.

Instinctively, I pull her into my arms and hold hers gently as I inspect for any obvious bone fractures. I sit down on the bench as I inspect. Skye giggles to herself quietly and I bring her down to sit on my lap.

* * *

Skye's POV

I REALLY CAN'T BELIEVE THAT AGENT WARD IS HOLDING MY HAND! He squeezes my hand and smiles. I smile back and perhaps the bond between Rookie and S.O. has become closer.

'Well, there are no obvious injuries," he reports.

"So should I let FitzSimmons see it?" I ask.

"Sure, but you should trust me. After all, I am your S.O. Why would I ever lie to you?" he says.

"Wait, have you received medical training?" I ask.

"Maybe," he replies. "Or it might just be talent."

"Yeah right, dude. Talented? In your dreams," I try flirting.

"Skye, you can't even do 30 pull-ups. Who's talented now?" he shoots back.

"Me. At least I'm not the T-1,000."

"Skye," he sighs. "Training sessions are over today. Let's have Fitz Simmons check your wrist."

We stand up and he holds out his hand. I take it and we walk to the lab. We're still holding hands when we enter the lab.

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**Hey, everyone! So what do you think of the story? Please rate and review, so it will help me know what you guys like or don't like about this story. Anyways, thank you guys so much for reading and I hope to see you all soon! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! This is a very early update. I really wanted to update early because I really can't stay away from writing! I am actually obsessed. So what did you all think of the last chapter? I realize that there wasn't enough SkyeWard fluff and that I should have changed a few things. But, this is my first story, so I'm still learning! Thank you guys for reading and hope you enjoy! :)**

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Agent Ward's POV

Skye and I head to Fitzsimmons's lab and I'm still holding her hand. We enter the lab, only to see the two scientists arguing over each other. They don't notice us standing at the doorway. Skye gives a loud and definitely not accidental cough and the two scientists shut up. Skye and I let go of our hands when they turn to look at us.

"So, what brings you guys here?" Simmons asks, with an unnaturally happy smile on her face.

"Um, my wrists," Skye says, holding up her wrists.

"She fell of the pull-up bar," I explain. "Don't ask."

"Ah," Fitz says, raising his eyebrows. Skye laughs.

"Oh, Fitz, this is the perfect chance to test our medial scanner," Simmons exclaims.

"Right. I'm gonna get it right now." He walks out of the room.

'What _is _the medical scanner? What does it do?" I ask, not wanting anything unknown be tested on Skye.

"Oh, it's very simple. It uses bio-electricity to scan for any malfunctions, abnormalities, injuries, or anything out of the ordinary in the human body," Simmons explains.

"Yes, Jemma. That's very simple for our intelligent minds to understand," Skye says with a lethal dose of sarcasm.

'Did she also mention that it also detects pregnancies?" Fitz asks as he comes into the room. The three of us give him a dirty look.

"Hey, I'm just saying!" Fitz says, with a slight blush on his cheeks.

Skye sits down and I sit next to her. I put an arm around her to comfort her. She smiles and settles closer. Simmons signals for me to let go of Skye and I reluctantly do so. The scientist holds the machine up to Skye. I stare at it curiously and it beeps, then flashes green.

"Mm, everything's fine," Simmons announces.

"Means you're not pregnant, either," Fitz adds.

"FITZ!" we all yell.

* * *

Skye's POV

When Ward takes his arm off my shoulders, I feel a bit disappointed. I wanted to be closer to him. I guess I really do love that man.

Simmons holds up the device to me and I see Ward staring at it. Then, it beeps and flashes green. Green means good and red means bad, right?

"Mm, everything's fine," she tells everyone.

"Means you're not pregnant, either," Fitz says. Seriously, what is wrong with this guy? He keeps mentioning me as being pregnant!

"FITZ!" Simmons, Ward, and I yell. He looks shocked and scoots to the back of the lab.

"I told you so," Ward says smugly. "Your wrists aren't broken."

"Shut up, Ward," I grumble. "And I never said they were."

Simmons gives us a funny look and shoos us out of the lab as she heads towards Fitz. Ward and I walk around the Bus, not sure of what to say or do. We end up going to his room and he opens the door for me. How can a T-1,000 be capable of being a gentleman?

"Thanks," I say. He nods in reply.

"Hey, you know you're still shirtless, right?" I ask.

"Does it bother you?" he asks, reaching for his shirt.

"No. No, not at all," I say in an uncontrollable high-pitched voice. I didn't want to tell him that I fell off the pull-up bar because he was shirtless. That would most likely result in him putting his shirt back on.

We sit together on the edge of the bed and we're silent. Eventually, he puts an arm around me and pulls me closer. I put my head on his shoulder and I can feel his warmth. He adjusts our position so that we're lying down on the bed. He puts an arm around me and I scoot closer to close the remaining distance between us. He grins and we both drift off to sleep.

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

I guess the reason why I want Skye to sleep with me is that I need her. I love her so, so much and I want her to realize that. As I put an arm around her and lay down with her, I think: I'm going to protect this sweet, beautiful woman. She is everything to me and there is no way I'm letting her go. If I do, then I will lose everything.

I give her a smile. I watch her fall asleep and I do the same, too…

When I wake up, I see that Skye is still fast asleep in my arms. We're on my bed. I move away so I can get a shirt. I try not to wake her up. She looks so beautiful when she's asleep.

"Ward?" she murmurs quietly.

"Yeah? I'm here." I say.

She sits up and scoots to the edge of the bed. I join her and we sit in silence. Suddenly, I feel a rush of bravery. I lean in closer and I think "I'm going to kiss Skye and let her know that I love her."

I continue to lean in closer, but I do it slowly, cautiously. Skye licks her lips slightly and looks me directly in the eyes. Her dark brown eyes are so beautiful and I feel like I can get lost in those eyes.

"EVERYONE! BREIFING AT COMMMONS ROOM IN FIVE. WE HAVE A MISSION TO DISCUSS, SO MOVE IT, PEOPLE!" the voice of Agent Coulson makes us jump apart. Disappointment and the feeling of failure courses through me.

What excellent timing, Coulson. Thanks.

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**Did you guys like it? Please R&R to let me know! I actually have the whole entire story planned out in my head and ready to type, so there will most likely be fast updates. Anyways, thanks for reading and I hope you liked it! See you soon! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone! I'm still freaking out over the last episode! What did you think of it? Skye and Ward MUST get together or else I'm going to cry about it for days. Seriously, I think I'm one of the most hardcore SkyeWard shippers out there. Well, this is Chapter 3 and I hope you enjoy! I do not own Marvel in any way.**

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Skye's POV

When Coulson announces the briefing over the intercom, Ward and I immediately jump. Then I feel extremely pissed off. Seriously, I KNOW that Agent Ward was planning to kiss me. Then, AC ruined the moment. Now that I look at Ward, I see that he looks equally angry. However, he shakes it off and looks at me shyly. I feel my cheeks grow warm because the look he's giving me is really sweet and adorable.

"Come on, Ward. Let's go. AC is waiting for us," I say. He nods and gets up.

"Skye, wait here until I tell you to come out. I don't want anyone getting the wrong impression when they see you coming out of my room," he says. I blush deeper at the thought. Ward walks out of the door and looks around. He turns to me and nods. I run out of the room.

Ward and I go to the designated briefing area and stand together at the middle of the room. We don't speak or touch as AC and Agent May walk quietly in the room. FitzSimmons arrives late and they're trying to outspeak each other because they are trying to apologize for being late.

"Oh I'm so sorry we're late!" Simmons exclaims.

"We were just trying to lose the ounce from the night-night gun. It's actually very complicated. If we try to remove any parts, the whole thing will fall apart and it cannot be distinguished from a gun to a pile of rubbish," Fitz explains.

"And-," Simmons attempts to add.

"Guys," Ward says sharply. "Zip it. And we're not calling it the night-night gun."

"Thank you, Agent Ward," Coulson says. Ward gives a small nod in response.

"There has been a string of deaths. They have been occurring in a secluded forest in Maine. Approximately 5 minutes ago, the death toll has risen to 845. We don't know what's causing it. However, we do know that the victims did not get too far from the thing that's killing them. Police investigation tells us that the victims' times of death were not too far from each other. Forensic investigators and scientists did not find any human evidence at the scene. We can assume that the victims were assaulted by something unknown and tried to get away. Then the victims may have died trying to run. We really don't know what hit them," Coulson says. "FitzSimmons, I need you two to search for any biological or technical anomalies. Skye and Ward- "my heart jumped when our names were paired together- "You two are looking for any possible hostiles and suspects. That's all. Get ready, we're landing in 90 minutes."

The team separates, which leaves Ward and I standing together in silence and slight awkwardness. I look around at my surroundings, fumble with the string of my jacket, and play with the keyboards of the computer that's closest to me.

"Skye… um, we should probably see what FitzSimmons says about this," he suddenly says.

"Oh, yes. The brains MUST be dying to scramble over their words as they try to explain the vast quantities of information that has been bestowed upon us," I say sarcastically. Ward laughs, which cools down the slight tension between us. I laugh, too because I'm happy that things aren't as awkward anymore.

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

The team leaves after Coulson dismisses us. Skye and I are left alone and we don't speak. I keep thinking about my failed attempt to kiss her. Surely she understands. Coulson interrupted us, but that doesn't mean that I don't love her. I still love Skye with all my heart. The silence between us is painful, even though we have nothing to say to each other.

"Skye… um, we should probably see what FitzSimmons says about this," I say, trying to break the silence that lasted between us for almost 10 minutes.

""Oh, yes. The brains MUST be dying to scramble over their words as they try to explain the vast quantities of information that has been bestowed upon us," she says in the sarcastic tone that I've fallen in love with. I laugh because it's funny. I laugh because I'm relieved that whatever tension has formed between us has died down. She laughs, too.

I get up and I offer a hand to Skye. She accepts it and we hold hands as we walk to the lab. A lot has happened since we last held hands to the lab, I realize.

"Hey, brainy people," Skye says happily. "Got any hypotheses about this situation?"

"Hypothesis? That's a big word, Skye," I joke. She pinches my arm with her free hand.

"We really, really don't know!" FitzSimmons says for probably the first time ever.

"Can you at least explain what's happening?" Skye asks.

"Fitz thinks it's an alien device. Not of this Earth. The weird thing is, the victims die in exactly 24 hours. That is the thing we're positive about," Jemma explains.

"Perhaps it's a Tesseract device, maybe rigged to expel a possible pathogen to victims," Fitz adds. Skye and I continue to stare at the two scientists, feeling more and more stupid by the second.

"Autopsy results on a patient shows that the patient just… died. No heart failures, no asphyxiation, no apparent health conditions, or injuries of sorts," Simmons says.

"Right. So they just died. That explains everything, right, Ward?" she says with a slam of sarcasm. She winks at me when FitzSimmons looks at us, confused. They seem like they didn't understand her sarcasm. I decide to hug Skye, despite the fact that there were people who are looking at us. Fitz grins ear to ear and Jemma has to slap him on the shoulder to get him to stop smiling.

"We've landed in Maine," Coulson announces. "Thanks to May's insane piloting skills, we're here faster than we thought. Team, let's roll.

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**So what do you think? Please review, rate, and fav! Thank you all so much and I'll be back with another chapter soon! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys! I can't wait for the next episode! Hopefully, there are lots of SkyeWard moments in the next episode. It would be even more awesome if they get together! So, here's Chapter 4 to this story. Thank you and enjoy!**

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Agent Ward's POV  
Coulson announces that we land and that we are to go out to investigate the scene. According to FitzSimmons, we are to be looking for an alien device. Simmons is actually quite skittish about alien-related deaths because she had once been infected with a Chitauri virus.

FitzSimmons is to spend the afternoon searching for any alien spectrographs or any signs of unknown biological or technical activity. Skye and I are to be on the lookout for anyone who might be following us or trying to infiltrate the perimeter. However, Skye and I are not within the infection perimeter so keeping a lookout will be difficult. The four of us are wearing hazmat suits, just in case.

"Got everything you need, Skye?" I ask.

"Yeah."

"Rookie, tell me what we're going to do," I say.

"Follow FitzSimmons, make camp, watch out for humans or aliens, follow your directions while being an ass to you, and finally-"she says.

"Hey, Rookie. Who says you're going to be an ass to me?" I ask.

"Me."

"And why, exactly…"

"Just because." She smiles and punches me on the shoulder. If she had punched me her hardest, I didn't feel it.

"Seriously, I punch you and you don't even feel it?!" she asks.

"That's why you need to train more. And it's also because of the muscles."

"Muscle Man. Literally," she says. I roll my eyes and grab her arms. I pull her gently to where FitzSimmons is.

"Coulson told us to head out whenever we want before 14:00," Fitz says. "So we must be heading out soon. It's 13:15 right now."

"We're just waiting for you guys," Simmons says.

"You can thank my meddling S.O. for that," Skye says. I give her a dirty look.

"He's trying to make me memorize our objectives for today," she says. "First, he made me repeat the task list until I could recite it backwards. Then, he tried to tell me all the possible situational outcomes and what to do in case we ever face them. I think it's pretty useless. Go with the flow, you know."

"A good field agent always needs to have a backup plan," I say.

"Oh, goodness, another lecture!" Skye says sarcastically. "FitzSimmons, get the notepad! This is going to be very important." I shake my head slowly and sadly.

"You are so meddling sometimes. Really, Ward. I thought you were going to turn into a mom or something," she says

"Sorry to disappoint, sweetheart," I say. She steps closer and gives me a devious and seductive smile.

"OH, FITZ!" Jemma exclaims. "How can you be so forgetful?"

"Me? What did I do?" he asks. Jemma drags him into another section of the lab, perhaps to give us some more time.

"What's with the 'sweetheart'?" she asks.

"What? That's what moms say, right," I say. I instantly regret my words because Skye never knew her mother. She never had anyone call her "sweetheart" before. I'm going to change that.

"May I remind you that you're not a female?" she asks.

"Hey, _honey_, you're the one who says I'm acting like a mom."

"Grant…" she mutters and shakes her head. She rarely uses my first name.

FitzSimmons come out of the lab, not looking like they forgot anything. They give us a smile and Simmons looks like her face will permanently freeze. Her smile is so wide and it looks overly-happy sometimes.

"Ready?" Skye asks. The two scientists nod.

"Let's roll," I say, copying Coulson's words.

* * *

Skye's POV

When Ward says something about how moms act, I instantly feel the urge to cry. I never knew or remember my mother. He looks at me seriously when he sees my expression fall. I regain my composure within seconds, though.

"May I remind you that you're not female," I say, trying to make a comeback.

"Hey, honey." His voice grows really soft when he says "honey". "you're the one who said that I'm acting like a mom." I look at his eyes, which look a bit sad. I wonder if it's because of his childhood.

"Grant…" I say. I shake my head a bit. I almost never use his first name, but it's special this time. I want to tell him that I love him, but I refrain from doing so.

When FitzSimmons comes out of the lab, they look happy for some reason. I don't think their excuse for forgetting something worked on me. I can see that they only did that so Ward and I can talk.

"Ready?" I ask. They both nod in unison.

"Let's roll," Ward quotes.

When we reach the perimeter, Ward and I pitch our impenetrable tent. It won't let any deadly scientific things to enter inside. Ask FitzSimmons for the full list of deadly scientific things. I really don't know, mainly because I space out during their ramblings.

Ward and I drop off our supplies inside. He takes out two guns. The rifle for him, the small shotgun for me. I don't know whether or not I should be offended. The two brains go off to start their investigation, leaving me alone with Ward.

"So, do you want to keep watch or catch up on some sleep for a while?" Ward asks.

"I'll sleep. I'm really tired because I wake up at five in the morning to train. Thanks to a certain somebody," I say. He laughs, which makes me feel like a schoolgirl that has a crush on someone.

I go inside and curl up into a ball inside the sleeping bag. I start to let my mind wander and think. Ever since I fell off the pull-up bar this morning, Agent Ward seems to have changed. He seems to have opened up. My most haunting memory I have of him was when I saw him full of rage from the staff because it hurt me to see him hurt. He could barely hold it together on some nights. Most of the time, he relied on copious amounts of alcohol and heavy drinking. Recently, he has stopped his drinking habits and I can see that he's struggling to embrace the past.

I'm thankful that Ward has opened up to me and I'm even more thankful that he's starting to trust me a bit more. Especially since the Miles incident. When he found out what happened, I could see it in his eyes that he was shattered. I felt so guilty… I let my thoughts center around Ward until I eventually drift off to sleep, where I see even more disturbing images of Ward in rage-filled pain.

"Skye, wake up," Ward's voice murmurs. "I want you to see something."

"What is it?" I groan.

"Something amazing. Hurry." I hear him walk out of the tent. I roll out of the tangle of blankets and head out to find Ward. When I'm out, Ward looks at me, holds my hand, and points to the night sky with his free hand.

"Look. What do you think?" he asks. I look up and I see stars. A bunch of them. They are all shining very brightly and looking at it makes me feel… entranced.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" he asks.

"It's amazing."

"Just like you, Skye. You shine brighter than those stars. A galaxy of stars can't even begin to compare. Even if you have one dim star, or a million bright stars, you'll always be my Skye," he says. I stare at him with my mouth hanging wide open in shock. Why is the T-1,000 saying weird things?

"Grant, that's so…"

"So what?" he asks.

"Cheesy," I reply.

"Just saying, Skye. Just saying."

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**What do you think? Please review, rate, and favorite! Thank you all for reading and supporting! See you soon! :)**

**Random Joke: What did the waiter say to the skeleton? Bone-Appetit! lol**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, Chapter 5 is here! And I'm so excited for the next episode! So, enjoy this chapter and thank you for reading! **

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

I've never said anything cheesier in my life. I told Skye that she shines brighter than a galaxy full of stars. Seriously, Skye makes me feel like a different person. Sometimes, I wonder how and why Skye has changed me. Falling in love can change you, but hopefully, I didn't change too much.

The stars shine brightly, but the real beauty I see is my Rookie. Just looking at her long brown hair, her beautiful brown eyes, and winning smile makes me fall in love with her more, if that's even possible. I love this young hacker and nothing will ever change that. She's everything to me now. Skye continues stargazing, while I continue to admire her true beauty.

"Hey, Skye and Ward," Fitz interrupts. Well, I thought, if it's not Coulson interrupting us, then it's got to be Fitz.

"Hey, Fitz," Skye says cheerfully, "What are you doing here? I thought you and Simmons were back at the lab doing some science-y things."

"Actually, I came to bring you a surveillance camera of sorts. Whenever it detects a heat signature, it will alert you guys. That way, you two can sleep if you want," Fitz explains.

'Thanks, Fitz," Skye says. "Where's Jemma?"

"Ah, back at the lab. She's really frustrated that we didn't find anything so she decided to stay behind to dig for answers."

"Oh."

"So what have you guys been doing so far?" Fitz asks.

"Stargazing," I answer.

"What stars? I don't see any stars!" Fitz says as he looks upward.

"Fitz, there are, like, a million stars up there. Look again," Skye says. I look up and the stars are still there.

"Um, I really don't see any stars," Fitz says.

"Leo Fitz," I say in a menacing tone. Fitz flinches. "Tell me the truth or you're going to regret it."

"Grant, be easy on the poor guy," Skye says.

"Bring Simmons," I command.

"She's busy," Fitz says.

"Bring Simmons," I say again in a threatening voice.

"Okay, okay," Fitz mumbles as he scurries away.

"Wow, Ward. Take it easy next time," Skye suggests.

"That's not the worst I can do. Interrogation and command are one of the most important parts of being a field agent," I explain.

"Well, you didn't need to be so hard on the guy."

"You'll learn someday, Rookie. You aren't a field agent yet so you won't understand."

"Excuse me?" Skye said, clearly offended.

"Sorry, but it's the truth.

"Watch it, Ward. You don't even know my capabilities."

I'm pretty sure we were going to start a full-on fight, but FitzSimmons come to the scene.

"So, Jemma, do you see the stars up there?" Fitz asks her.

"What stars, Jemma asks, confused.

Skye's POV

So, Simmons is obviously confused about the whole situation. Ward and I look at each other. We put our differences behind us and agree on one thing: they are either lying to us or we're so fucking tired, we're hallucinating. I think they are lying to us, though. If Ward and I are hallucinating, then it would be highly unlikely for us to be seeing the same things. I mean, we both see millions of bright stars that look very real. How can the two scientists miss it?

"FitzSimmons, I'm going to ask one more time," Ward threatens. 'What do you see up there. And don't even try lying to us. We don't think it's funny."

"A very dark night sky with no signs of stars anywhere," Simmons answers.

"Same as her," Fitz adds.

"Grant, they don't sound like they're lying," I say.

"But we're not hallucinating. We both see them," Ward says.

I get my phone out and take a picture of the stars. There was an image of a starry night on the viewfinder screen, but the finished photo shows a dark, starless night.

"Grant, look. The photo doesn't show the stars," I say quietly.

"So, FitzSimmons isn't lying to us," Ward murmurs. "Which means that only we can see them, Skye. Only us."

Agent Ward's POV

Well, this is very confusing. If FitzSimmons can't see the stars and the photo didn't pick up the image, then how can Skye and I see the stars? I still don't understand how Skye and I can see something the others can't.

"Get some sleep," Simmons suggests. "Maybe you won't see any invisible objects after you get a good night's sleep."

"I agree," Fitz says. "I'll help you set up the camera. If it detects any heat signature, this buzzer will ring so that only you two and the team can hear it."

"Oh, wait," Skye says. "Have you two found anything yet?"

"No and we really should be heading back now to continue," Simmons says with a smile.

"Okay then. Goodnight geniuses," Skye says.

"Goodnight," I mutter.

"'Night!" FitzSImmons says together. The two of them walk away, rambling on and on about possible theories.

"Ward, I'm going to get some sleep," Skye says with a huge yawn.

"Sure, I'll go in with you," I say. We go in the tent and we take off our hazmat suits. Skye shivers a bit because she's only wearing a light T-shirt and shorts. I give her my jacket.

I start unrolling my sleeping bag and set it down on the other side of the room. Suddenly, I feel as if my strength is being drained. It's a weird feeling, but even all my years of training has not prepared me for this. I've faced many gunshot wounds and multiple broken bones, but this is different. I can't feel myself anymore. A few seconds later, Skye shudders and gasps.

"Grant, what the hell is going on?! It feels so weird…" Skye whispers.

"I don't know. You feel it, too?" I ask.

"Yes and it's not cool! My energy… what's going on?"

"It feels like it's being drained, right?"

"Yeah," Skye says weakly.

"Let's just sleep," I suggest. "It's most likely the early training sessions that got to us."

"All because of the meddling S.O. that makes his rookie do 65 impossible pull-ups," she grumbles.

She takes off my jacket and hands it to me. As she's handing it to me, I suddenly feel what I felt before. I feel brave. A rush of bravery and adrenaline kicks in, conquering the feeling of groggy sluggishness I felt a minute ago. This time, I'm going to do it. I'm going to kiss Skye and tell her how I really feel about her.

Skye's POV

I look at Ward's tired face as I hand his jacket to him. He takes it and his tired look is suddenly being replaced. A spark seems to ignite in his eyes and a look of determination comes. He sits down on his sleeping bag and pats the space beside him. I sit down with him.

"Skye, there's something I want to tell you," he says softly.

"Say it, Ward. Say it," I command, using the same line I used when we first played battleship. (I defeated him!)

He chuckles a little at the memory and faces me. I feel his arms suddenly wrapping themselves around my waist, pulling me closer. Then a gentle kiss is placed on my lips and I melt into his arms. He continues to kiss me, but gently, as if I'm so fragile, I'm going to break. His lips are tentative and he shyly deepens the kiss a little bit more. I want more of him and I feel myself deepen the kiss and suddenly, I'm on my back and Ward is kissing me a lot harder. He breaks away for air and looks at me. We both sit up. He smiles shyly and I lean in to kiss his cheek.

"I love you, Rookie. With all my heart," he says.

"I love you, too, Robot," I say.

My exhaustion hits me hard. I slump forward and Ward catches me. I put my head on his shoulder and I try to stay awake.

"Skye, you should sleep now," he suggests.

"Sleep with me?" I ask, half asleep.

"Of course," he replies.

He gets a spare blanket and he drapes it over us. We abandon the one-person sized sleeping bags and lie down on the tent's canvas floor. He puts an arm around me and puts another gentle kiss on my forehead. Then, before we know it, we're asleep.

* * *

**Wouldn't it be funny if I filmed my reaction on the next episode as I'm watching it? I think it would be hilarious because you would see me freaking out and screaming at the TV. I'm not going to actually film my reaction, though. Anyways, hope you liked it and please rate, review, and favorite! Thanks so much! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I am so excited for tomorrow's episode! I can't wait to see the magical adventures the team goes on and SkyeWard (****HOPEFULLY!****). Here is Chapter 6! Enjoy.**

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

I wake up and I realize that Skye is fast asleep in my arms. She looks really beautiful when she's sleeping. Her face is so calm and her hair is really messed up. That just makes her look so much more beautiful.

I remember that last night, I kissed her and confessed my love for her. She kissed me back and I realize that we've been in love with each other for a while. Loving her goes against everything I trained for, but it doesn't matter anymore. She is my definition of love and I will do anything and everything I can to protect her.

Skye sleeping in my arms is a very peaceful and loving feeling. I tighten my arms around her and she snuggles closer. I kiss her forehead lightly and she wakes up.

"Morning, beautiful," I say.

"Hey," she says cheerfully.

"You didn't hear anything from the buzzer right?" I ask.

"No, I was passed out," Skye says.

"Me too."

I let go of Skye and she stands up. I watch her as she walks around the tent, trying to roll up the sleeping bags we abandoned last night. I know I should be helping but I'm really awed by her beauty and I can't bring myself to get up.

"Agent Ward, what are you supposed to be doing?" she asks.

"I- ah- was going to help you," I stutter.

"Feeling a bit of love aren't you," she says. She smiles seductively and wraps her arms around my neck. I pull her down to steal a kiss.

"Agent Ward, I'm not going to ask again. What are you supposed to be doing?" she asks.

"Helping you," I mumble.

"Wrong, you're supposed to be loving your girl."

"Yes, ma'am," I say even though she's my rookie. Her lips crash down on mine and I pull her down to the tangle of blankets we were sleeping in 10 minutes ago. Eventually, she tries to pull my shirt off and I take it off for her. I'm about to take her tank top off but she suddenly freezes.

"Wait..." she says.

* * *

Skye's POV

I successfully seduced Ward into having a very passionate lovemaking session with me. Last night, he kissed he so gently, but today, he's actually going pretty hard. I slowly and surely fell for this man. Hard. I love him, the agent whose love and trust towards people was practically nonexistent. I'm glad that I was the one that opened the door of love for him.

Ward's shirt... off. That was the only thought I had. I reach for his shirt and pull it to let Ward know that I want his shirt off. He replies and takes it off. He reaches for my tank top but, suddenly I feel something... familiar. The feeling I felt last night, it's back.

"Wait," I mumble. Ward looks at me with concern and gets off of me immediately.

"What is it?" he asks worriedly.

"We should head back to the others," I say. "I'm feeling a bit... weird."

"Hey, what is it?"

"Remember what happened last night? The feeling of having our energy drained or something?" I ask. I feel it again. I can't explain it the feeling...

Ward suddenly pales. He jumps up, only to sink back to the ground. His eyes harden and he looks like he's going to go on a rage again.

"He's going to drown," he whispers.

"Ward?" I ask softly.

"Please, he's going to drown," he says again. He looks at me with unseeing eyes.

"Grant, what's going on?" I ask.

"I don't want to lose him. Please! I need to help him!" he says shakily. I realize that he's going to sink back into the nightmares he's been fighting for so long.

"Agent Ward, snap out of it!" I scream.

"Don't you understand? He's drowning! I need to help him," he screams back.

"Ward!" I yell. He doesn't look at me because he's going ballistic. He has tears in his eyes and he looks so helpless. Despite my depleted strength, I grab his face and I kiss him. I kiss him until I can feel that he's calm. I break away and I start crying.

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

Watching Skye cry is one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever seen. I feel guilty because she's crying over something I did. Something I was hurt from.

"Skye, I'm sorry," I say.

"No, no, there's nothing to apologize for," she whispers.

"Sorry for yelling at you," I say.

"Not your fault."

"I love you," I whisper.

"Love you too," she mumbles back.

"This feeling you were talking about... it's happening to me, too," I say.

"Is that why you started raging, Grant?" she asks.

"Yes. I've never felt so hopeless since... since..."I try to say. "And I saw it again. When I saw it again, it was like a nightmare. Honestly, I don't know how the feeling of getting my energy drained can relate to... that."

"Ward, don't say it if you don't want to."

As she says this, I feel as if more energy is being drained from me. Even more than last night. I can't explain this odd feeling, but I can say is that it makes you feel exhausted and hopeless. I start feeling numb and so nauseous, my feet don't even feel like they're on the ground.

"Let's head back, then," I say.

"Yeah, I'm not feeling really good," she says.

"You don't look too good, either," I comment. "You look really, really pale." The color on her face is draining and her lips turn white. She starts trembling.

"Same about you," she comments back.

"Let's go."

She nods weakly. We leave everything behind and we stagger outside. I try to support a very shaky Skye, but I'm not doing very well. My vision is blurring and my energy is going away fast.

Skye's POV

I try not to lean on Ward a lot because he's having trouble walking himself. His chocolate brown eyes seems to have turned black. He has dark shadows under his eyes and his face his gray with exertion and exhaustion. He looks a lot older, no offense intended.

He tries to support me, but he almost stumbles when he manages to get a grip on me. I start to involuntarily tremble but I try not to show it so Grant won't be more worried than he is already. When I trip over my own feet, a look of bravery is set on his face and he hold me steadily as we head to the Bus.

"Why is this happening?" I mutter.

"Maybe we're infected," he whispers.

"How? We were protected by the hazmat suits. We weren't even in the perimeter," I say.

"Sweetheart, I don't know."

I trip again and I get up unsteadily. Ward helps me up but he pales when doing so. We continue to stumble and limp to the bus.

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

"What are you feeling now?" I ask as we are struggling to get back to the bus.

"Same as before," Skye murmurs.

"Me too."

We stumble around and Skye isn't looking like she can make it to the bus. Her face is deathly pale and the rings under her eyes look like discolored bruises.

"Grant," she wheezes. "You okay?"

She leans on me heavily because of the strain of whispering. I nearly fall over, so that tells me how weak and deteriorated I've become.

"Yes, I'm fine," I lie. "Don't ever worry about me."

"I love you," she whispers, then coughs. She slumps to the ground, unconscious. I catch her. I try to rush to the Bus, but carrying Skye while my energy is being sapped is not easy. Suddenly, I'm seeing things crossed-eyed. I feel myself starting to collapse, but I snap back to attention. Skye needs me now, I'm not letting her down.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please Rate, review, and favorite! Bye and see you soon, I'm going to be sitting in front of the TV now, waiting for S.H.I.E.L.D to come on (even though it is a day away...)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone, I'm so, so sorry for not updating fast! To make up for that, this is going to be a long chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

I'm still carrying Skye but my arms are starting to tremble. It's getting more and more difficult to breathe. Luckily, Skye is still breathing. Suddenly, my heart feels as if it's getting stabbed. It feels even weirder than getting my energy drained. Apparently, Skye feels it too because she screams in pain and jolts awake. I try not to show any weakness because I don't want Skye to worry about me.

"Skye, what's wrong?" I ask quietly.

"Please! Make it stop," she groans. She tries to get out of my arms, but I hold her tighter.

"I know it hurts," I whisper. "I feel it too."

She stops moving and I can see that she's fighting to stay awake. I want to stop carrying Skye and stop trying to get help. It hurts too much.

I can feel myself starting to fade and I see disturbing images of my brother in the well again. I fight the nightmares and the images off, though. I focus on the girl that lies in my arms. I tell myself that she needs me right now and I have to stay strong. I might not have faced pain at this level before, but I've never experienced this much love, either. My love for Skye is what moves my feet. If I were alone, I would just sink to the ground and be left to die.

Suddenly, I see the Bus, but it looks like it's very far. In reality, the Bus is only a few feet away, but in my muddled mind, it feels as if it's at least a mile away.

"Help!" I yell. Then, I start wheezing and choking because of the exertion. Agent Coulson, May, and FitzSimmons come running out, with looks of horror on their faces. I feel a glimmer of hope at the sight of my teammates.

They're going to help her. Another wave of pain comes, and I feel myself starting to black out. Skye was unconscious when I yelled for help. As I start to fall, I make sure Skye isn't hurt. When I'm on the ground, the last thing I'm aware that I see is Skye. I black out.

* * *

Agent Jemma Simmons's POV

When Ward collapses, I see that he makes sure Skye isn't injured from the collapse before he falls to unconsciousness. The rest of the team has looks of shock on their face, even expressionless Melinda May. I am the first to move and Fitz follows me. We run inside the lab to get a medical kit.

We're about to go out, but Coulson and May come in. May is carrying Skye, while Coulson is half-dragging, half-carrying Agent Ward. The two unconscious people don't look like they're in pristine condition.

"Jemma, they're infected," Fitz says to me.

"Bloody hell, Fitz! Isn't that obvious?! We must help them!" I scream back.

Coulson and May set the two on the lab table/bed. Actually, all of us had to help big and heavy Agent Ward onto the table. Skye, thankfully, was a lot easier to handle. Fitz is looking a bit uncertain. Ward and Skye are looking a bit dirty and Fitz absolutely hates it when his space is filthy.

I hook Ward and Skye into IVs and Fitz suggests that we pour super cold water on the pair. Coulson agrees, but I don't. I can't argue with my boss though. Fitz runs out of the lab and comes back with two buckets of cold water. Coulson and Fitz pour it on them and they awake with a strangled gasp.

The cold water has immediately taken a toll on their bodies. Skye is unconscious again. Ward is a little stronger, though, but he turns even paler and starts convulsing slightly. He struggles to sit up.

"What do we do now?" Coulson asks.

"We have to get Ward to talk," Agent May says.

"Ward?" I ask. "Do you know what happened to you two?" He shrugs and sinks back onto the bed.

"I think I know what happened," Skye whispers. We all jump (except Ward and May, whose eyes just widened a fraction of a millimeter) because we thought she was unconscious.

"The stars," she murmurs weakly.

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

After she wakes up and tells us what she knows, Skye blacks out again and I feel myself doing the same.

"Ward!" Coulson's sharp command snaps me back to attention. I sip up really fast and the blood pressure beeps frantically. The pressure rates are plummeting, according to the monitor. I get off the bed and I stand up.

"Ward, what stars? What was she talking about?" Coulson asks gently.

"It's the stars," I whisper. "They just appeared. FitzSimmons were there at the scene, sir, but only Skye and I saw them. Oh no… Skye!"

I look at Skye as if I just noticed her for the first time since we got back. She's unconscious but I don't know if she passed out because of exhaustion or pain. It could be both.

"Ward, please explain," Coulson says. "In detail."

"I… I was walking around to look for any suspicious activity and I was thinking about Skye," he says, blushing a little. "When I came across… a certain thought, the stars suddenly started shining. It was beautiful. So, I went inside the tent to wake her up. I wanted her to see the stars with me because I knew that she liked to find constellations. We went outside to admire the stars and…" I realize something and I stop talking.

"And…" Coulson prompts.

"It was my fault! If I've never woke her up, she would have never been infected. Sir, it's completely my fault! Now we're both infected and she's… we're going to die," I start crying a little, despite my will to not display too much human emotion towards the team. I can't help it. I can't lose Skye.

"You didn't know about the stars, Grant," Coulson says quietly. "It couldn't possibly be your fault."

"Ward, please, calm down," Simmons begs. "You're blood pressure is skyrocketing. You're harming yourself and this is going to kill you faster."

"I don't care," I say to her. "All I want is for Skye to live. Please."

"Yes, Ward. We're going to find a way out of this," Fitz says.

"Sir, I say this as Skye's best friend," Simmons says to me. "If she was in a reversed situation, she'd also be worrying. But she would want to die with you. I know she loves you and would never let anything happen to you. She would try to keep you safe. I know that she's glad to be infected alongside you. She would rather die than to lose you while she's still alive. We, the team, love you both. We need you, so we're going to work together to find a cure. Ward, please put yourself in Skye's shoes and ours, too. What would you do?"

"I'd try and help. I want Skye to be alive. I love her and I want only what's best for her," I reply. "And I know that, if she defeats the disease, she'll want me to defeat it with her. So that's why I'm going to try. For Skye." The team smiles, except May, who just nods.

"Well, I wake up from unconsciousness for the billionth time and I hear Ward saying that he'll try for me," Skye says, making every one of us (even May) jump. I smile hugely because of the happiness I feel when I hear her sarcasm again.

She looks more energized and her heart rate isn't as low as it was before. The heart monitor reads: normal. She's smiling at me now, with so much love in her eyes.

* * *

Skye's POV

I hear faint words and I struggle to open my eyes. The words gradually become more and more coherent.

"I'm going to try. For Skye." The voice of Agent Ward snaps me awake and makes me smile. I don't feel so painful anymore and just him saying he'll try for me makes me feel much, much better.

"Well," I say. "I wake up form unconsciousness for the billionth time and I hear Ward saying he'll try for me." Everyone jumps and I see Ward grin at me. I smile back at the man I love.

"So, what time do you think you've been infected?" Coulson asks, all business-like now. FitzSimmons take off our IV's.

"I'm not exactly sure," Ward replies, "But I think we saw them around 22:00 or 23:00 last night."

"It's 5:40 right now," Coulson says hesitantly. He fidgets a little and fingers Lola's keys.

"We had 24 hours, Ward," I say.

"Sweetheart, I… yes. 24 hours," he replies.

"Then we should have about 17 or 18 hours left," I say quietly.

"Sweetheart," he says again. His voice broke at the end and he looks at the ground.

"FitzSimmons, can you guys go down to the lab to find a vaccine?" Coulson asks.

"Antiserum!" Jemma yells.

"Right. Antiserum. FitzSimmons, your main priority is to find an antiserum for Skye and Ward," Coulson corrects, clearly dismissing them.

"May, you should probably get back to piloting," he adds. May gives a slight nod and stalks out of the room.

"Well, I'm going to let you two have some time together. I'm going to contact S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ to see if they have any records of this," Coulson says. He leaves and shuts the door behind him.

"We're not going to die, Grant," I say.

He looks at me with sad eyes and it's obvious that he's suffering. I haven't seen him like this for a while. The last time I saw him give me the look he's giving me now was when he relived the haunting memory of his younger brother stuck in the well.

"17 hours… That's not very much time at all," he says. A shadow of sadness shows on his face, but he immediately shakes it off. I take a closer look at him and I see that he obviously looks and feels worse than I do. His arms are shaking and his breathing is uneven and labored.

"Hey, Grant, you should go lie down," I suggest.

"No. I'm fine. I'm worried about you," he says. "How are you feeling?"

"Same as you, but don't worry about me," I say, taking his hand. He flinches and I instantly take my hand off.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing," he replies.

"Tell me."

"I just don't want to lose you," he confesses. "I don't want to live or die without you. I haven't felt this hopeless since what happened with my… my brother. I was so close to losing him once. I don't want that to happen to…"

I cut him off with a kiss. A gentle, yet reassuring kiss. I want to tell him that I'm here and that, most importantly, I'm by his side. Strangely, Ward's arms stop shaking and I gradually feel his strength returning because I can feel him trying to deepen the kiss.

* * *

Agent Ward's POV

Skye interrupts my words with a kiss that tells me things. She's here with me and that's all that matters. She tells me that I won't lose her because she'll always be with me. I try to respond to her.

I feel my energy returning and the pain subsides. I actually feel quite normal. I can also feel Skye's kiss growing stronger and stronger.

The door opens and Skye and I break apart. Agent Coulson is standing at the door and I get some serious déjà vu from what happened yesterday.

"Ah, unfortunately, HQ has no record of this phenomenon. And, um, I don't have to be company if you two don't want me here," Coulson says with a guilt look on his face.

"AC, you can stay," Skye says.

"Oh, I should visit FitzSimmons to check on their progress," he says quickly

"AC, you weren't interrupting anything," Skye says. "Just a little bonding between Rookie and S.O."

"I should go," Coulson says. He walks out of the room.

"AC, wait!" Skye yells after him. Despite being infected and slightly handicapped, she hopes off the bed and stumbles after him.

Suddenly, I feel it again. I feel as if I'm being torn apart. It feels as if my heart is being clawed out. The world turns black and the last thing I see in my mind is a hazy image of Skye.

* * *

**Yay, the super long chapter is done! I don't know about you, but I highly disapprove of the whole May/Ward thing. I WISH Skye and Ward will get together (that's what I always say) within the next few episodes before Christmas. It would be the best Christmas gift ever! Agent Ward and Skye (and their actors) are on my Christmas list. Well, thanks for reading and as always, please review! Reviews are LOVE! :)**


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